Abstract
This paper studies global media perspectives on world opinion on the January 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington, D. C. It proceeds by collecting and analyzing news stories and editorials containing references to world opinion in international newspapers of record on the event using a pre-designed questionnaire. References included such explicit phrases as “world opinion”, “international opinion”, “global public opinion”, and other assorted synonyms; implicit phrases were more common and included cases where an opinion or action was attributed to the world. Past studies (Rusciano and Fiske-Rusciano, 1990; Rusciano, Fiske-Rusciano, and Wang, 1997; Rusciano 1997; and Rusciano, 2002) have suggested that while national origin does not determine a newspaper’s discourse, it provides clues to how certain issues are discussed and framed. This approach allows one to study how use of the concept of “world opinion” varies with nation, region, and historical context. Further, it deconstructs how world opinion as a concept conveys power in different media outlets. This study examines perceptions of world opinion on whether the insurrection threatened U. S. democracy, isolated the nation in the world, or affected the country’s international image. It concludes by analyzing how international news outlets’ constructions of world opinion affected the United States’ reputation and capacity for using “soft power” in global affairs.
Presenters
Roberta Fiske RuscianoAdjunct Associate Professor, Global Studies, Rider University, New Jersey, United States Frank Louis Rusciano
Professor, Political Science, Rider University, New Jersey, United States Lauren Harvey
Student, Rider University, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Communications and Linguistic Studies
KEYWORDS
WORLD OPINION, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS, SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION
